Passenger vehicles often include electric batteries for operating features of a vehicle's electrical and drivetrain systems. For example, vehicles commonly include a 12V lead-acid automotive battery configured to supply electric energy to vehicle starter systems (e.g., a starter motor), lighting systems, and/or ignition systems. In electric, fuel cell (“FC”), and/or hybrid vehicles, a high voltage (“HV”) battery system may be used to power electric drivetrain components of the vehicle (e.g., electric drive motors and the like).
In certain designs, battery systems included in a vehicle may include one or more sections. For example, a vehicle battery system may include a battery pack that comprises one or more sections of battery cells. Battery sections may be replaced and/or added in a battery pack, resulting in differences in capacities, state of charge, discharge rates, impedances, and/or voltages between the new battery sections and the existing battery sections. Similarly, a battery cell may be replaced and/or added in a battery section, resulting in differences in capacities, state of charge, discharge rates, impedances, and/or voltages between the new battery cell and the existing battery cells. Battery discharge may terminate when a section having the lowest capacity is depleted, regardless of whether other battery sections have sufficient capacity for sustained discharge. This behavior may result in battery system inefficiencies, degradation, and/or permanent damage.